HOUSTON, Texas - Blinn College baseball rallied in the ninth inning to push the doubleheader finale against No. 5 San Jacinto College-North into extra innings and then defeat the Gators 16-13 in 11 innings on Saturday night.

Earlier in the day, the Buccaneers fell to San Jacinto, 11-4, to open the doubleheader.

With the split, the Buccaneers move to 14-9 overall and 9-3 in Region XIV play.

San Jacinto 11 - Blinn 4

Despite holding a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Buccaneers dropped the first game in the doubleheader to San Jacinto by the score of 11-4.

The Buccaneers managed eight hits against San Jacinto as Cameron Gibbons and Gray Rodgers led the offense after each going 2-for-3. Koby Collins led Blinn with two RBIs, while Zach Cherry and Rodgers each drove in one run.

After three scoreless innings, Blinn struck first with three runs in the fourth inning. Gibbons and Marshall Skinner each hit singles and Rodgers walked for Blinn to load the bases and Collins to follow with a two-run single. Gray Rodgers scored next on a groundout for Blinn to lead 3-0.

Blinn held a 3-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth inning when San Jacinto ran away with 11 runs.

Blinn added one more run on the board in the seventh inning. After Brandon Ashy was hit with a pitch he later scored on a single by Rodgers, but it wasn't enough as Blinn fell 11-4.

Blinn 16 - San Jacinto 13

In a high-scoring, extra-inning thriller, the Buccaneers scored three runs in the top of the 11th inning that led to a 16-13 victory over San Jacinto to close out the doubleheader.

Andrew Morgan came up with the win after coming out of the bullpen for 5 1/3 innings and only surrendering one run on three hits, while striking out six.

Ashy led the Buccaneers with four RBIs, while Alec Sanchez, Hunter Trinidad and Gibbons each drove in two runs. Collins led Blinn with four runs scored and Trinidad followed with three. Rodgers and Skinner manufactured two apiece.

Despite trailing 12-11 in the ninth inning, the Buccaneers rallied for one run in the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings. Sanchez came up with a one-run single for Sammy Blair to score and the game to head into the 10th inning.

A one-run line drive single off the bat of Hunter Trinidad allowed Collins to score and Blinn to take a 13-12 lead in the 10th inning. However, San Jacinto came back in the bottom of the inning with one run to tie the game 13-13.

The Buccaneers finally got the job done in the top of the 11th inning after scoring three runs. After Blinn loaded the bases, Sanchez and Collins each walked for Ashy and Rodgers to score. Skinner scored the final run in the game on a wild pitch for Blinn to take a 16-13 lead and hold it for the win.

The Buccaneers opened the game with a 1-0 lead after Reggie McAlister scored on a fly ball in the top of the first inning.

San Jacinto evened the score 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning, but Blinn took back the lead with two runs in the second inning. Ashy hit a two-run single for Collins and Jacob Miller to score and Blinn to pull ahead 3-1.

San Jacinto evened the score once again in the third inning by scoring two runs to tie the game, 3-3, however Blinn managed to come back on top in the fourth inning. Ashy hit a sacrifice fly for Hunter Trinidad to score and Blinn to hold a 4-3 advantage.

San Jacinto took a 7-4 lead for the first in the bottom of the fourth inning after scoring four runs. However it didn't last long as Blinn fought back with four runs in the fifth inning to pull back ahead 8-7. Rodgers, Skinner and Collins all drew walks to load the bases and Trinidad followed with a walk for Rodgers to score Blinn's first run of the inning. With the bases still loaded, Miller was hit with a pitch for Skinner to score. Gibbons followed with a two-run single for Blinn to lead 8-7.

San Jacinto worked hard for two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead 9-8. In the sixth inning, San Jacinto extended its lead to 12-8 after tacking on three more runs.

Blinn wasn't done scoring and managed to tie the game 12-12 after putting up three runs in the seventh inning and one run in the ninth inning. Collins, Trinidad and Miller all walked to lead off the seventh inning and Collins scored the first run on a wild pitch. Ashy followed with a one-run single and Gibbons scored after Rodgers walked the bases loaded. In the bottom of the ninth, Blinn rallied to send the game into extra innings.

The Buccaneers will take a break from conference on Wednesday, March 21 when they host TCS Post Grad Academy at 4 p.m. at Leroy Dreyer Field.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987.